A narrative of travels in northern Africa in the years 1818, 19, and 20; accompanied by geographical notices of Soudan and of the course of the NigerLyon, G. F. (George Francis)
History
A narrative of travels in northern Africa in the years 1818, 19, and 20; accompanied by geographical notices of Soudan and of the course of the Niger
Lyon, G. F. (George Francis)
Fezzan (Libya) -- Description and travel; Tripolitania -- Description and travel
The country from whence these poor victims come produces sufficient
dates to furnish the whole army, and the conquerors brought away
enough to supply their slaves and animals. There are in this country
some singular insulated rocks, which are almost inaccessible, and
which stand on plains of sand. On these many of the Tibboo live, and
by means of large stones and arrows are able to keep off any people,
who, like themselves, are without muskets. The Sultan’s army, in a
former Ghrazzie, stormed some of these fastnesses; and though they
were superior in number and arms, and the Tibboo naturally timid,
they met with very severe loss.
The plan adopted by the Arabs in taking these people is described in
the following manner.—They rest for the night, two or three hours
ride from the village intended to be attacked; and after midnight,
leaving their tents and camels, with a small guard, they advance,
so as to arrive by daylight; they then surround the place, and,
closing in, generally succeed in taking all the inhabitants. As those
who elude the first range have also to pass several bodies placed on
the look-out, and armed with guns, their chance of escape is almost
impossible. On a rising ground, at a convenient distance, is placed
a standard, round which are stationed men prepared to receive and
bind the captives, as they are brought out by those who enter the
town: when bound, the pillagers return for fresh plunder. In the
course of one morning, a thousand or fifteen hundred slaves have
sometimes been procured in this manner, by two or three hundred men
only. When the inhabitants are all secured, the camels, flocks, and
provisions, come into requisition; and these dreaded Arabs march
on and conquer other defenceless hordes, in the same manner. The
Tibboo of Borgoo are of a lighter complexion than other Negroes,
and are handsome people. The females braid their hair, which is
not very woolly, in long plaits, which hang down round their head
in bobbins of sometimes eighteen inches in length.
The Arabs found many pigeons in Borgoo; these birds emigrate from
Fezzan in October and November, to Kawār, Bilma, Borgoo, and other
places to the southward.
January 12th. Therm. 3°. Left Gatrone, and preceded the Ghrazzie
to the wells of Wudakaire, from which place I have already noted
the bearings to Gatrone. We slept here, and took care that it
should be at least a mile distant from the Arabs. My Maherry was
now in tolerable condition, owing to the care taken of him by the
Marāboot, to whom I sent a six-bladed knife, as an acknowledgment
for his trouble; this he considered so splendid a present, that
his house had a constant succession of visitors, to see and admire
its wonderful blades, saws, &c. which were opened with great care,
and looked on with astonishment.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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